Physician (Deputy Chief of Emergency Department) - EDRP - Open Only to Department Employees

Physician (Deputy Chief of Emergency Department) - EDRP - Open Only to Department Employees

Department: Department of Veterans Affairs

Location(s): San Antonio, Texas

Salary Range: $145000 - $335000 Per Year

Job Summary: The South Texas Veterans Health Care System (STVHCS) is seeking to hire a Deputy Chief of Emergency Department. This announcement is open only to current, permanent employees of the Emergency Department of the South Texas Veterans Health Care System (STVHCS).

Major Duties:

• The responsibilities of the Emergency Department (ED) Deputy Chief will be 80/20 clinically based and include aiding the Chief in recruiting and retaining highly qualified ED physicians, establishing and maintaining a pool of moonlighters for night, weekend, and holiday coverage, scheduling staff to ensure adequate coverage, and acting as the liaison between the ED and hospital administration and medical staff. The ED Deputy Chief is also tasked with ensuring that all ED personnel understand their patient care and administrative responsibilities, and they will have primary responsibility for the emergency department mid-level providers. He/She must demonstrate strong leadership skills along with a high degree of personal and professional skills, including interpersonal relations, critical thinking, problem-solving, and conflict resolution. The Emergency Department Deputy Chief supervises a variety of ED personnel, including staff who are aligned under other departments such as nursing. A. Customer Service. Basing planning on patient and staff feedback and projected needs establishes a customer-oriented culture and promotes the hiring of persons who fit that culture. The Deputy Chief actively identifies and encourages the implementation of best practices in customer service, breaks barriers that impede good service delivery, empowers staff to resolve problems and complaints independently at the lowest level, and shares resources to serve customers effectively and efficiently. B. Quality Improvement. The Deputy Chief ensures the emergency department meets standards issued by various accrediting and regulatory groups and VACO, participates in quality improvement activities, and encourages staff to participate on Process Action Teams and other quality improvement activities. C. Research and Education. The Deputy Chief encourages and supports research and education missions, ensures compliance with performance standards, and creates a climate where continuous learning and self-development are valued. They also promote continuing education for ED personnel. D. Budget and Fiscal Management. In collaboration with the Chief of Emergency Services, the Deputy Chief assists in the development of the ED budget and business plan, staying abreast of and educating staff about changing conditions in health care, particularly as it relates to emergency medicine. Work Schedule: Compressed schedule may be available Education Debt Reduction Program (Student Loan Repayment): This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific eligibility requirements per VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Program Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) & eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after review of the EDRP application. Learn more. EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact vhaedrpprogramsupport@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package. VHA Physician Total Rewards. Pay: Competitive salary, annual performance bonus, regular salary increases Paid Time Off: 50-55 days of paid time off per year (26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year and possible 5 day paid absence for CME) Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement) Licensure: 1 full and unrestricted license from any US State or territory CME: Possible $1,000 per year reimbursement (must be full-time with board certification) Malpractice: Free liability protection with tail coverage provided Contract: No Physician Employment Contract and no significant restriction on moonlighting

Qualifications: To qualify for this position, you must meet the basic requirements as well as any additional requirements (if applicable) listed in the job announcement. Applicants pending the completion of training or license requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met. Currently employed physician(s) in VA who met the requirements for appointment under the previous qualification standard at the time of their initial appointment are deemed to have met the basic requirements of the occupation. Basic Requirements: United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. Education: Degree of doctor of medicine or an equivalent degree resulting from a course of education in medicine or osteopathic medicine. The degree must have been obtained from one of the schools approved by the Department of Veterans Affairs for the year in which the course of study was completed. License: Current, full and unrestricted license to practice medicine or surgery in a State, Territory, or Commonwealth of the United States, or in the District of Columbia. Residency Training: Physicians must have completed residency training, approved by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs in an accredited core specialty training program leading to eligibility for board certification. (NOTE: VA physicians involved in academic training programs may be required to be board certified for faculty status.) Approved residencies are: (1) Those approved by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), b) OR [(2) Those approved by the American Osteopathic Association (AOA),OR (3) Other residencies (non-US residency training programs followed by a minimum of five years of verified practice in the United States), which the local Medical Staff Executive Committee deems to have provided the applicant with appropriate professional training and believes has exposed the physician to an appropriate range of patient care experiences. Residents currently enrolled in ACGME/AOA accredited residency training programs and who would otherwise meet the basic requirements for appointment are eligible to be appointed as "Physician Resident Providers" (PRPs). PRPs must be fully licensed physicians (i.e., not a training license) and may only be appointed on an intermittent or fee-basis. PRPs are not considered independent practitioners and will not be privileged; rather, they are to have a "scope of practice" that allows them to perform certain restricted duties under supervision. Additionally, surgery residents in gap years may also be appointed as PRPs. English Language Proficiency: Proficiency in spoken and written English. Additional Requirement: American Board Emergency Medicine Certified Preferred Experience: Over 500 hours of current Emergency Room experience Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. Physical Requirements: Moderate lifting, 15-44 pounds; Light carrying, under 15 pounds; Reaching above shoulder; Use of fingers; Both hands required; Walking (8-12 hours); Standing (8-12 hours); Repeated bending (8-12 hours); Ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously; Far vision correctable in one eye to 20/20 and to 20/40 in the other; Both eyes required; Depth perception; Ability to distinguish basic colors; Ability to distinguish shades of colors; Hearing (aid may be permitted); Ability to perform privileges; Ability to work independently and perform a physical exam as appropriate to the position; Emotional stability.

How to Apply: To begin, click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USA JOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire. Click Submit My Answers to submit your application package. To apply for this position online, complete steps 1 and 2 above by 11:59 PM (ET) on 03/20/2026 to receive consideration. Please note, this announcement may close prior to the closing date indicated if the position is filled through other means. If you are unable to apply online before the closing date click here and include the CAZM-12908155-26-JMS in the Notes field. During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions. Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.

Application Deadline: 2026-03-20